Category Archives: Winter Warmers

One of the four scarves I made for the gents in my home. I’d been eying out this yarn in the stores for months trying to decide what I’d do with it. It has a texture that catches my attention every time I see it: very soft and warm with the raw wool and uneven speck giving it a fantastic rustic appeal. Eventually I settled on this scarf.

I used a 6mm hook and ‘rib look’ crochet stitch, then added tassels to each end. The ‘rib stitch’ looks more like knit than crochet which I feel is more fitting for men. It’s a high quality yarn made up of a blend of cotton, tweed, wool and acrylic. The end product does justice to the yarn and can be worn in either a smart or casual setting. Versatility is always good.

Oh the things you make when you have teenage children! So, this is a night cap, or as Jono likes to call it, a cool long pointy beanie thing. And yes, he actually wears it, not only with his pajamas but out to the mall – gosh.

I simply used tr crochet, starting at the point, slowly increasing until the last about 9 rows. Then I added a few rows of dc to make the band. It’s an acrylic dk, or worsted weight yarn and I used a 5mm hook. And finally added the pompom. It’s been many years since I made a pompom, taking me back to my childhood.

I found this gorgeous yarn and had to make myself a scarf. There were a wide selection of colours, but I chose light grey, charcoal, beige and cream. I’m please to have a scarf that I can dress up with now.

The yarn is 80% cotton and 20% acrylic, which is a fantastic combination. I prefer it to 100% cotton. I didn’t have a pattern, but with a 6mm hook, I used a simple V stitch for the entire scarf. That is Tr, ch, Tr in every second stitch (British terminology). I didn’t want a long scarf, but made it just long enough to go around my neck twice. It is super warm and wonderfully comfortable.

I loved making this little set. The yarn is so soft and ideal for keeping a little head and feet warm. The very natural and earthy look of the yarn also lends itself to the hipster style.

For the hat I used this easy to follow pattern by April Cromwell. Thanks April. The only change I made was shortening the ties a little. I used a 5.5mm hook. And one of my favourite patterns for boots is this one by Repeat Crafter Me. I used a 3,5mm hook to make it smaller and tighter (my yarn is so soft I had to firm it up somehow) and I only made 3 rows of the cuff, then I added the laces. The yarn is a stunning, locally-produced blend of cotton, tweed, wool and acrylic.

I realize winter is almost over, but I did make these scarves a little while ago. I made 4 scarves in 6 days, one for each of the gents in my home. This is a long, tasseled, loose-stitch crochet scarf with a knit look. Sometimes you just need a simple ordinary old scarf. And this is particularly warm too.

I used a simple double knit (worsted weight) yarn and an 8mm hook. The loose stitching makes this a very comfortable, soft and casual looking scarf. A smaller hook makes a tighter stitch and is a smarter style, as you’ll see when I post two of my other scarves.

I’m not sure my boys will get much more use out of them this season, but they are timeless and should last a few winters.

It feels a bit strange making a scarf right at the beginning of summer, but this was made on request from a friend.

This is the fourth scarf I’ve made using this pattern and I’m never disappointed by the results. This time I used a beige double knit, single strand, and a 9mm hook. It’s not as chunky as my first one, but came out great anyway. The yarn is Elle Pure Gold, which is a South African produced 100% acrylic.

It’s been a slow week on the production line here. A few months ago I promised myself I would work on one project at a time. Well, I’ve been working on a cushion cover, and it’s taking forever, so I’ve deviated a bit from that ideal. I have an order in for some baby boy gumboots and some baby girl shoes. My cushion cover can wait….again.

I’ve been meaning to make this headband for a little while. Glad I finally got round to it, and it really was very quick, once I worked out some interesting quirks in the pattern.

I’ve enjoyed giving myself to a few different projects after spending quite some time on baby headbands. I don’t have ADD, I just like variety. This is a great pattern by PD Designs. I got it a bit wrong in the beginning, but reading through some of the comments at the bottom helped me get it right. My yarn is the last of a ball I got from Mongolia and is an Egyptian cotton / milk fibre blend in grey and white. Made up with a 6mm hook.

It has a great texture, is nice and stretchy and very warm, although not too warm for summery days when you just want protection from the wind. Nice idea for Christmas gifts too.